Olloclip Studio a strong case for turning your iPhone into a mobile-photography rig

Olloclip created its first clip-on, three-in-one camera lens for the iPhone in 2011 when 1,300 backers pledged more than $68,000 for its Kickstarter campaign.

In the past four years, the company has grown its lens lineup to include ultrawide-angle, telephoto and extreme macro models, and now it's back on the crowdfunding site to start production of a case to help iPhone-ographers get more from those lenses.

The company's lenses for the iPhone 6 and 6 Plus slide down over the top of the phone so they can be positioned on either the front or rear cameras. Because of this, the phone has to be naked or in one of Olloclip's current cases, which offer basic protection and have a notch cut out to accommodate its lenses.

The Studio, according to Olloclip and the prototype I saw, will offer more protection than the current case. More important, though, is the integrated mounting rail system in the back center of the case.

The rails allow you to slide on and off a handful of mounts including standard 1/4-20 thread tripod mounts for portrait and landscape positioning, accessory shoes for holding an add-on mic or LED panel and a finger grip to make one-handed use steadier and more comfortable.

Though the 3D-printed version I handled was certainly rough around the edges, the add-ons attached with minimal fuss. The finger grip was particularly nice, as it gives you a couple of options for holding your phone and in a pinch can also be used as a stand. Unfortunately it doesn't fold flat, so it's not something you'll be slipping comfortably into a back pocket before heading out for the day.

In fact, none of the attachments are particularly small, but because they're at least removable the Studio is a more compact option than something like the iOgrapher (though that case has its own advantages).

Olloclip is aiming for $100,000 in Kickstarter pledges by August 1 to get the Studio into production. Pledging $35 gets you a case for the iPhone 6 or 6 Plus with a kickstand clip, but bringing it up to a $60 pledge will get you the case and the full accessory package, with two cold shoes and the two tripod mounts as well as the finger grip. The prices convert to about £25 or AU$50 for the case alone and £40 or AU$80 for the case and accessories.